MADISON, Conn., June 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerPhone, a leading provider of 911 training and technology, recently announced its latest client relationship with the United States Marine Corps (USMC). PowerPhone will be providing Marine Corps installations worldwide with its integrated emergency call handling solution to better standardize the information gathering process on emergency calls placed to USMC dispatch centers.

USMC Consolidated Emergency Response System personnel will be trained to provide a standardized level of rapid emergency response services that is equivalent to state-side civilian 911 Centers by effectively answering and processing 911 calls and providing notification functions, resource management, and Situational Awareness (SA) to support efficient First Responder dispatching.

USMC training by PowerPhone is already underway and will continue throughout the summer. Once training has been completed, the PowerPhone Total Response® Call Handling system will be deployed throughout the USMC – including sixteen installations in the US and Japan.

Total Response standardizes the questioning and information gathering process on any call that comes into the emergency center. Each protocol in the system serves as a script for dispatchers to ask appropriate questions and offer pre-arrival advice that is directly relevant to scene conditions. The system then makes an objective dispatch recommendation to ensure the appropriate resources are dispatched. The result is an enhanced standard of care to victims, callers, and responders.

Implementing the PowerPhone system will consist of certification training in police, fire, and emergency medical dispatch as well as implementing call handling protocols to help standardize the call taking process. As part of the deployment, USMC staff will undergo quality assurance training to assess and validate call-handling performance while also pursuing accreditation from PowerPhone.

"The United States Marine Corps is determined to ensure that emergency dispatchers at each installation are trained to the same standard so that parity in skills and capabilities are obtained," said Jennifer Boughton, Security Communications Analyst, Headquarters Marine Corps. "This training strategy was developed to standardize and professionalize the dispatch workforce and facilitate the integration of emergency dispatchers into the First Responder community."

In addition to deploying Total Response, PowerPhone will offer the USMC the opportunity to fulfill a requirement to pursue Continuing Education Credits. All USMC Public Safety Dispatchers, regardless of career level, must complete at least 12 hours of continuing dispatch education as part of the annual Sustainment Training plan. PowerPhone offers a comprehensive list of CEC's including, Suicide Intervention, Disasters and the Dispatcher, Domestic Violence Intervention, Homeland Security for Telecommunicators, Active Shooter Response and Stress Identification & Management.

"The United States Marine Corps has been protecting the lives of our citizens and the interests of our nation since 1775," said Chris Salafia, CEO of PowerPhone. "Their mandate is 'to be most ready, when the nation is least ready' and we are honored to assist them in providing the highest possible standard of care to their emergency callers and responders."

About PowerPhone
PowerPhone is a global leader in emergency communications training and technology. Since its inception in 1984, PowerPhone has trained more than 200,000 public safety professionals. As the first organization to train 911 operators in police, fire and emergency medical dispatch, PowerPhone has helped define standards for emergency call handling internationally. Built on the premise of 'One Number, One Protocol,' PowerPhone is the inventors of Total Response®, a comprehensive system of training, protocols and quality assurance tools to better empower 911 professionals to make objective, outcome-driven decisions on any emergency call.